Railway traffic controlling system



Dec.31, 1935. BENEDICT 2,026,489'

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 18 1933 iNvENToR F. Benedl-c'h BY MZQM,

HIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING SYSTEM Frank Benedict, Rutherford, N. J., assignor to general Railway Signal Company, Rochester,

Application August 18, 1933, Serial No. 685,758

13 Claims. (Cl. 2463) This invention relates to indicating means for The switch machine SM is controlled from a railway trafiic controlling devices, and more parremote point, such as an interlocking tower, by ticularly to a means for indicating the operated a control lever SML, and for the sake of simpliposition of a railway track switch which prevents fying the present drawing this control circuit 5 a possible false indication in the event of an abhas not been shown in detail but has been merely normal condition of the indication communicatindicated by the interconnecting dotted line 35. ing circuits. A means for displaying an indication of the op- In controlling railway traffic, it is vitally imerated position of the track switch TS has been portant that the position of certain remote apshown at the location of the control lever SML paratus corresponds with the actual condition of as two indicating lights NI and RI which are se- 10,v

associated trafic controlling devices, such as a lectively energized by indicating relays NR and relay or relays arranged to control various cir- RR. It is of course understood that the indicuits in accordance with the operated position cating relays NR and RR may have various other of a track switch. Such a remotely controlled functions at the interlocking tower but the indirelay is often arranged to select the clearing of eating lights NI and RI have merely been shown 15 signals over various routes, and consequently, if as a simple means for utilizing the indication of some abnormal condition, such as a cross bethe position of the track switch TS as communitween wires occurs to cause a false indication, a cated to the location of the control lever SML. wrong and possibly an unsafe route may be The indicating relays NR and RR have been 0 aligned. shown as being of the tractive type neutral relay In view of the above and other considerations, having a double winding on their operating coils, it is proposed in accordance with the present inand these relays should be so arranged that ventionto provide a simple means for communitheir armatures will only assume their attracted eating to a remote point an indication of the position when both of these windings are enerposition of a railway track switch and to provide gized and only if energized with corresponding 25 such an indication communicating means which polarities. These relays should also have the inherently prevents an incorrect indication due characteristic of releasing their armatures whento a cross or short-circuit in the indication comever either of these operating windings are demunicating wires or due to the application of energized or whenever the windings are enercurrent from a foreign or unauthorized source. gized with opposite polarities. It is contemplated 30 Other objects, purposes and characteristic feathat such tractive type relays should be martures of the present invention will appear as the ginal in their operation, and consequently it may description thereof progresses, during which, refbe found desirable to employ a motor type relay erences will be made to the accompanying single in which one element, such as the field, would figure of drawing, which shows in a diagrarnbe substituted for one Winding of the tractive 35 matic manner a means for indicating at a remote type relay shown, and the other element, such as location the condition of a railway track switch the armature, would be substituted for the other in accordance with the present invention. winding of the tractive type relay as shown. A

Referring to the drawing, the main track of a source of energy has been shown at the track railway system has been illustrated by rails land location as a battery B and a source of energy 40 a siding by rails 2, which siding is connected with is also required at the location of the control a main track through the medium of a switch TS. lever SML which has not been shown but the This switch TS may be power operated in the conventional and symbols are emconventional manner by a switch machine which ployed to designate the opposite terminals of a -15 has not been shown in detail, but the operated source of energy such as a storage battery. contacts of which may be the conventional point The track switch TS is illustrated in its nordetector' contacts that are diagrammatically ma] position in accordance with the normal poshown within the dotted rectangle SM. The sition of the switch control lever SML, which switch machine SM may be of the conventional track switch operates the movable contact memelectrically operated type such as shown in Pather 3 of the switch machine SM to its normal ent No. 1,466,903, granted to W. K. Howe on Sepposition, as shown, thereby energizing the upper tember 4, 19 23, and such a switch machine is winding of relay NR over a circuit from the shown as having a contact arrangement such as terminal of battery B, wire 4, through the disclosed in Patent No. 1,824,162, granted to J C, stationary contacts 5 connected by the movable n n On p m r 22, 1931. contact 3, line wire 6, from right to left through the upper winding of relay NR, wire 1, back contact 8 of relay RR, wire 9, common line wire I0, wires II and 12 to the center tap of battery B. The lower winding of relay NR is also energized locally over a circuit from through contact I 3 of lever SML in its normal position N, wire I4, from right to left through the lower winding of relay NR to It will now be seen that current is flowing from right to left through both the upper and the lower windings of relay NR, which it will be assumed produces a sufiicient total flux to pick up the armature of relay NR. An indication of the normal operated position of the track switch TS is now given at the location of its control lever SML by energizing the normal switch indicating light NI over a circuit from through front contact l5 of relay NR, wire is, through the indicating light NI to Now considering that the switch control lever SML is moved to its reverse position R, the track switch TS is then operated from its normal to its reverse or take-siding position, and during such operation, the movable contact 3 assumes a center position which de-energizes the upper winding of relay NR at the open stationary con-. tacts 5. However, in the event that some abnormal condition applies foreign or unauthorized energy to the line wires 6 and H], such energy is shunted from wire 6, over wire I1, through contact l8 closed upon contact !9 and over wire 20 to the common line wire [0. In a similar manher, the line wires controlling the reverse indicating relay RR are shunted, or that is, the reverse indicating relay control line wire 2| is connected over wire 22, through contact 23 closed upon contact 24 and over wires 25 and H to the common indicating line wire [0. These shunt circuits effected by the movable contact 3 in its center position obviously enforces that the relays NR and RR assume their de-energized position whenever the track switch TS is in an intermediate or unlocked position even in the event of the application of unauthorized energy to the indicating line wires.

However, when the track switch TS operates to its reverse locked position, the movable contact 3 is operated to its reverse or opposite position to that shown, which position closes the stationary contacts 26, disengages contact 23 from contact 24 and continues to engage contact l8 .with contact I9. The upper winding of the reverse indicating relay RR is then energized over a circuit from the center tap of battery B, wires l2 and H, common line wire l0, wire 2?, back contact 28 of relay NR, wire 29, from left to right to the upper winding of relay RR, line wire 2|, through the stationary contacts 25 connected by the movable contact 3, wire 38, to the terminal of battery B. The lower winding of relay RR is also energized over a circuit from contact l3 of lever SML in its reverse position R, wire 34, from left to right through the lower winding of relay RR to and this like directions of current in both the upper and lower windings obviously effects the picking up of the contacts of relay RR. An indication of the reverse operated position of the track switch TS is now given at the location of its control lever SML by energizing the reverse indicating light RI over a circuit from front contact 3| of relay RR, wire 32, through the reverse indicating light RI to Let us now consider some abnormal conditions, such as a cross between wire 6 and wire 2! while the switch machine SM is in its normal position so that the movable contact 3 is in its normal position, as shown. Such a cross from the wire 6 to the wire 2i would cause a short circuit from the positive terminal of battery B, through wire 4, contacts 5-3, wire 6, over the cross between wires 6 and 2i, wire 22, contacts 2324, wires 25 and I2, to the mid-tap of the battery B.

This short circuit on the upper half of the battery B would reduce the potential across the upper winding of the relay NR to substantially zero, and the contacts of the relay NR would therefore drop away, irrespective of the fact that its lower winding is energized with the lever SML in its left hand normal position. This is because, as previously stated, the relays NR and RR are of the type which require both their upper and lower windings to be energized with normal potential in order to pick up their contacts.

This cross between wires 8 and M would also be a substantial short circuit on the upper winding of the relay RR when the contact 28 of the relay NR is closed, so that the contacts of the relay RR would not pick up even though the switch machine lever SML might be operated to its right hand reverse position closing the energizing circuit for the lower winding of the relay RR.

However, let us assume that a cross exists between the wires 6 and 2|, while the contacts of the switch machine SM are in their normal positions and the contact !3 of the lever SML is in its reverse position, and that the short circuit on the battery is open circuit including Wire 25, contacts 23-24, and wires 2l-22 up to the point of the cross. Such an open circuit condition, would allow current to flow through the upper winding of relay RR from the terminal of battery B, wire 6, stationary contacts 5 connected by the movable contact 3, line wire 6, through the cross to wire 2! from right to left through the upper winding of relay RR, wire 29, back contact 28 of relay NR, wire 21, common line wire ID, wires II and [2 to the center terminal of the battery B.

However, it will be noticed that this current in the upper winding of relay RR by virtue of the cross circuit and open circuit is in an abnormal direction, or that is, current flows from left to right in the lower winding, but is now flowing from right to left in the upper winding which opposing directions of current in the two windings substantially neutralizes flux in relay RR, thereby effecting that its armature remains in its de-energized position. It will thus be seen that a false reverse indication cannot be obtained at the location of the control lever SML due to a cross between the control wires 6 and 21 in as much as the direction of current in the reverse indicating wire 2! must be of a definite polarity which is checked by the direction of current in the local energized winding of relay RR, and when the direction of current normally effective to indicate the normal switch position is abnormally applied to the reverse indicating circuit, such current is not efiective to pick up the reverse indicating relay.

In a like manner, it will be obvious that a cross between wires 6 and up of relay NR when the track switch TS is in its reverse position with and the control lever SML in either of its positions, because the upper winding of relay NR will then be either shunted or energized with a polarity directly opposed to at some point along the 2! cannot efiect the picking the local -energization of its lower winding effect:- ed 'by 'thenormal position f contact 13 of the control lever SML.

Ameans for indicating thecondition of a railway track switch at a remote point has thus been provided which is substantially immune to false indications'due to crosses, short-circuits, open circuits, or the application of unauthorized energy to the indicating line Wires. In obtaining such protection, the present --sys"tem provides normal and reverse indicating circuits which are selectively energized to communicate an indication of the normal or the reverse operated position respectively of the track switch. In selectively energizing these indicating circuits, a definite and relatively opposite direction of current has been assigned to each, so that, either a normal or a reverse indicating relay atthe remote location can only beien'ergized when a definite direction of current flows in .a definite indicating circuit. The integrity of the direction of current in each of these indicating circuits is checked against a locally energized "winding on each indicating relay which windings are selectively energized in accordance with the normal or reverse operated position of the switch control lever, or that is, the normal position of the switch control lever selects the normal direction of current in the normal indicating relay, and, if this normal energization of .one winding is assisted by a corresponding or normal direction of current in a second winding selected by the position of the track switch, the normal indicating relay is energized to indicate that the position of the track switch corresponds to the position of its control lever. Likewise, the reverse position of the track switch which is in accordance with the reverse position of its control lever maybe indicated only when the direction :of current in one winding of the reverse indicating relay energized by the reverse indicating circuit corresponds to the direction of current in a second winding selected by the reverse position of the control lever.

The above rather specific description of one form of the present invention is given solely by way :of example, and "is not intended in any manner whatsoever in a limiting sense. Itis also to 'be understood that various modifications, adaptations and alterations maybe applied to meet the requirements of practice, without in any manner departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention, except as limited by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. Ina system for indicating the operated position of a track switch, a first line circuit and a second line circuit extending from said track switch to a remote point, a first and a second relay at said remote point, a lever at said remote point for controlling said track switch, a first winding on said first relay energized with adefinite polarity by one position of said lever and a first winding on said second relay energized with a polarity different from said first relay winding "by another position of said lever, a second winding on said first relay selectively energized over said first line circuit in a manner to assistthe effoot of said energization of the first winding of the same relay when said track switch is in one position, and a second winding on said second relay selectively energized over said second line circuit in a manner to assist the effect of energization of the first winding of the same relay when said track switch is in another position.

'2. --A railway track switch indicating means comprising, a track switch, two circuits extending "from "the track switch to a distant point, means for energizing one of said circuits with one polarity when the track switch is in a normal position-and for energizing the other of said circuits with a different polarity when the track switch is in a reverse position, a lever at said distant point for controlling said track switch, and'a two-element relay at said distant point-associatedwith each-of said two circuits, one element of each relay being in series withthe corresponding circuit and the other element of each being selectively energized with a definite direction "of current in accordance with the position of said lever.

3. In a system for indicating the operated position of a track switch, a track switch, a lever for controlling the track switch, a two-element relay for indicating the normal position of the track switch, a two-element relay for indicating the reverse position of the track switch, means for either energizing one element of one of said relays with one polarity or for energizing one element of the other of said relays with a different polarity in accordance with the position of said lower, and means for either energizing the second element of one of said relays with one polarityor for energizing the second element 01' the other'of said relays with a different polarity in accordance with the position of said track switch, each of said two-element relays being arranged to operate the armature thereof to an attracted position only when both of the elements are-energized and with a corresponding direction ofcurrent.

4. In a system for indicating the position 01' the points of a track switch, a first contact closed during a normal switch point position, a second contact closed during a reverse switch point position, .a two-element normal relay, a two-element reverse relay, a circuit including said first contact for energizing one element of said normal relay with one polarity, a circuit including said second contact for energizing one element of said reverse relay with a difierent polarity, a switch control lever, and circuits energizing the second element of said normal relay with said one polarity during a normal position of the switch control lever and energizing the second element of said reverse relay with said different polarity during a reverse position of the switch control lever whereby to pick up either of the -relays only when the switch point position corresponds to the position of the switch control lever.

5. In a system for indicating the position of the points of a track switch, a first contact closed during a normal switch point position, a second contact closed during a reverse switch point position, a two-element normal relay, a two-element reverse relay, a circuit including said first contact and a back point of said reverse relay for energizing one element of said normal relay with one polarity, a circuit including said second contact and a back point of said normal relay for energizing one element of said reverse relay with a different polarity, a switch control lever, and circuits energizing the second element of said normal relay with said one polarity during 'a normal position of the switch control lever and energizing the second element of said reverse relay With said different polarity during a reverse position of the switch control lever whereby to pick up either of the relays only when the switch point position corresponds to the position of the switch control lever.

6. An indicating system comprising, a track switch, a normal contact closed during a normal position of the track switch, a reverse contact closed during a reverse position of the track switch, a control lever, a two-element normal relay, a normal circuit including said normal contact and applying a first direction of current to one element of the normal relay, a contact closed during a normal position of the control lever and applying said first direction of current to the second element of the normal relay, a two-element reverse relay, a reverse circuit including said reverse contact and applying a second direction of current to one element of the reverse relay, a contact closed during a reverse position of the control lever and applying said second direction of current to the second element of the reverse relay, a first shunting contact capable of shunting said normal relay when said track switch is in said reverse position and a second shunting contact capable of shunting said reverse relay when said track switch is in said normal position.

'7. A switch indicating means comprising, a two-element normal indicating relay, a two-element reverse indicating relay, means energizing one element of the normal indicating relay during a first switch position, means energizing one element of the reverse indicating relay during a second switch position, a switch control lever, a contact operated by the switch control lever, and means including the second elements of said normal indicating relay and said reverse indicating relay and said switch control lever contact for preventing the picking up of either of said indi cating relays unlessthe track switch position corresponds to the position of the switch control lever.

8. In a system for indicating the operated position of a track switch, a first line circuit and a second line circuit extending from said track switch to a remote point, a first and. a second relay at said remote point, a lever at said remote point for controlling said track switch, a first winding on said first relay energized with a definite polarity by one position of said lever and a first winding on said second relay energized with a polarity different from said first relay winding by another position of said lever, a second winding on said first relay selectively energized over said first line circuit in a manner to assist the efiect of said energization of the first winding of the same relay when said track switch is in one position, and a second winding on said second relay selectively energized over said second line circuit in a manner to assist the efiect of energization of the first winding of the same relay when said track switch is in another position, whereby said first or second relay is picked up only when both its said first and second windings are energized in the same direction.

9. A railway track switch indicating means comprising, a track switch, two circuits extending from the track switch to a distant point, means for energizing one of said circuits with one polarity when the track switch is in a normal position and for energizing the other of said circuits with a different polarity when the track switch is in a reverse position, a manually operable lever at said distant point for controlling said track switch, and a two-element relay at said distant point associated with each of said two circuits, one element of each relay in series with the corresponding circuit and the other element of each being selectively energized with a definite direction of current in accordance with the position of said lever and such direction of current corresponding to the direction of energization of its said one element.

10. In a system for indicating the operated position of a track switch, a track switch, a lever for controlling the track switch, a two-element relay for indicating the normal position of the track switch, a two-element relay for indicating the reverse position of the track switch, means for either energizing one element of one of said relays with one polarity or for energizing one element of the other of said relays with a different polarity in accordance with the position of said lever, means for either energizing the second element of one of said relays with one polarity or for energizing the second element of the other of said relays with a different polarity in accordance with the position of said track switch, each of said two-element relays being arranged to operate the armature thereof to an attracted position only when both of the elements are energized and with a corresponding direction of current, and electro-responsive means controlled by said two element relays.

11. In combination, a railroad track switch, normal and reverse indicating relays, circuit means for partially energizing said normal indicating relay only when said track switch is in a normal position, circuit means for partially energizing said reverse indicating relay only when said track switch is in a reverse position, a control lever for governing the operation of said track switch, and circuit means for supplementing the energization of said normal or reverse indicating relay depending upon whether said control lever is in a normal or a reverse position, whereby said normal indicating relay is picked up only when said control lever and said track switch are in corresponding normal conditions, and whereby said reverse indicating relay is picked up only when said control lever and said track switch are in corresponding reverse positions.

12. In combination, a railroad track switch, a

control lever for governing the operation of said track switch, a relay, circuit means for partially energizing said relay in accordance with the position of said track switch, and circuit means partially energizing said relay in accordance with the position of said control lever, whereby said relay is fully energized and picked up only when both said circuit means are effective at the same time.

13. In combination, a railroad track switch, a control lever for governing the operation of said track switch, a double winding indicating relay, circuit means for energizing one of said windings in a particular direction in accordance with the position of said control lever, and circuit means for energizing the other of said windings in said particular direction in accordance with the position of said track switch, whereby said indicating relay is picked up only when both its said windings are energized in said particular direction.

FRANK BENEDICT. 

